Switchboard-cord reel.



F. R. PARKER. SWITGHBOARD CORD REEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1907. RENEWED NOV. 26, 1918- 1,102,1 4Patented June. 30, 1914.

VJITNESSESI g5 JNVENTOR:

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lle it known hlflt I, Fimnnmcn R. PAR- icnn, u citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Chicsgo, in the county oi? =ok and Stateoflllinmsheve invented a new and useful Switchboard-Cord Reel, of whichthe following is a 'specifica tion,

. reference being bad to the agcompanyingto provide a pulley or reel forstrands or drawings illustrating same.

This present invention is a modification of my invention set forth in'my United States Letters Patent No. 796,929, on pulley weight, issuedAugust 8, 19 05. i

My invention relates to pulleys or reels l'or cords or strands, such astelephone switchboard cords, for automatically winding the cord upwhensame is not in use, and for letting the cord out when it is desiredto' use same; I

The principal objects of my invention are,

cords, such as telephone switchboard cords, which pulley or reel bemounted d1- rectlyunderneath the plug shelf where plugs used on thecords as in telephone sw1tchboards, the sald pulley or real being Iadapted to automatically wind. up the'cord when same is not in use, andto let out the .cord when it desired to use same; to provide such a,pulley or in acompact and suitable urrungemei." whereby a series thereofmay be suifj sbly,inounted in a row without taking up a considerablespace at the sides thereof, so that the said pulleys orrccls may bemounted directly underneath the corresponding switchboard I plugs/intelephone switchboards; to provide improved means for operating such apulley oi ..:sel; toprovide improved means for car rying theoircuits ofthe conductorsofithc cord through the device of the invention to :ubleterminals which may be readily ozonnected with other circuit conductors;to

provide on improved casing -Zor such apulley or reel; and 'to providesimplicity of c-onstriuction and cheupness of manufacture in such udevice.

Other objects will be apparent frdm the followings, specificstion. I

In telephone switchbourds itis customary to use a pulley-weight for theconnectingcords thereof, consisting of u single pulley and a weightattached thereto, the said pullcy simply hanging in a loop or swing ofthe wrrcnncsnnoonn BEE];

Specifications)? Letters Pstent. J {$514,

Renewed November 9.8, 1913. Serial No. 808,298.

cord, This arrangement requires the operators key-board to be aconsiderable dis tance above the floor or base of the switchboard, asthe pulley-weight has to rise approximately one-halt of the-distancethrough connection is made. On alarge switchboard the connectin -cordnecessarily hils to be pulled several eel; from the keyboard endtherefore the pulley-weight has tqhave ronsiderable space in which toplay lip and down.

n, In my present invention I have provided :a pulley or feel fortelephone switchboard cords which maybe mounted directly underneath thekeyboard or lugslielf so as not to take upmu'c-h space lie'low thelatter end which at the same time serves all of the purposes of i theo'rdin'a'r ulley-weight which hangs far below the teyhoard or plugshelf. My improved pulley or reel used on a telephone switchboard cordenables the operator to. sitin' an ordinary chair instead struction ofsuch a switchboard will be readily seen," the height of same beinggreatly reduced whichpermits ot n large saving in the ironwork,woodwork, and cabling, and does away with the custo'rhary foot-rails andhigh chairs, thus making a neat, compact, and eorivenient consti-uction.l have spoken of telephone switchboards as the advunttiges of such apulley or reel tire best seen here, but I do not wish to limit thisinvention to such particular usage; By reference to the accompanyingdrawing's lllustrstiiig' the preteri'ed embodiment of my invention,Figure 1, is a side elevation of the pulley or reel of the invention,with u portion of the casing removed, shown mounted on the unclernelithside of a plug shelt, the plug and cord also bein shown; and Fig. 2 isan edge elevation 0 a series or the pulleys or reels of my invention,shown mounted on the underneath side of u plug shelf, one of the pulleysor reels and its switchboard cord being shown in crosssection taken online 00,- q: of Fig. 1,. the;

switchboard plugs also being-shown.

Like characters refer "to like parts in the several figures;

- two sheet rnetal side portions 1 l lormed and which the end of thecord is pulled when keyboard to belowered considerably and the of a highchair. The advantages in the con I placed together as shown in Fig. 2,with in sulalion placed therebetween to insulate the portions 1 1 fromeach other. The switchboard cord 3 is carried between the side portions1 1 of the pulley or reel and is wound thereon preferably shown, theconductors in the said cord being preferably soldered to the sideportions 1 1. In Fig. 2 -1 have preferably shown the cord conductorspassing through-holes in the portions 1 1 and being soldered at 4 4. Toeach side portion 1 of the pulley is attached a metallic hub 5preferablyhaving a faceplate 6 thereon resting against the correspondingportion 1, the portions 6, 1, 2, 1 and 6, being securely held togetherso as to keep the portions 1 1 with their respective hubs 5 insulatedfrom each other. A

coil spring 7 is provided for each hub 5 and is preferably placed overthe hub as shown, the inner endjof each spring 7 be ing suitably securedto its hub 5 whereby the hubs cause the springs 7 7 to be wound up whenthe pulley is turned in the direction of arrow a. The portions 1 1, thehubs 5 5, and the coil springs 7 7 are all incased within a casing,preferably made of two formed sheet-metal halves 8 Ssecured together byrivets or boltsv 9 9 and suitably insulated from each other byinsulation. 1.0. The casing 8 8 is preferably mounted to the underneathside of the plug shelf 11 by screws 12 12, preferably as shown. 'Eachportion 8 of the casing may be provided with a tongue portion 13 cut outof the portion 8 and adapted to bear against the endof'a hub 5 at asuitable contact 14 ,to make good electrical connection therewith. Theouter end of each coil spring 7 is secured toits side of the casing 8 bya suitable screw, bolt or rivet 15. The cord 3 is provided with theusual connecting plug 16 which rests in a suitable seat in the plugshelf 11 when the cord and plug are not in use. Each hub 5 is prefcrablyprovided with a shoulder thereon to hold the pulley 1 1 inthe middle ofthe casing 8 8, and the hubs 5 5' and the side portions 8 8, of thecasing are formed to provide suitable bearings for the pulley 1 1 torotate upon.

The circuit of each conductor of the cord 3 extends thmugh one of theside portions if his arrange 1 of the pulley, a hub 5, a spring contactmember 13 and a coil spring 7 in parallel, and one portion 8 of thecasing, a connection terminal .7 on the casing, preferably next to theplug shelf 11. I may do away with the swing contact members 13 13 ifdesired, in which case the circuit of each strand! oi the cord mayextend from a. portion 1 through the corresponding hub 5, and thou-rethrough lhe corresponding coil spring 7 lo t -irlc of the uasiugfi andto the cor:- terminal 1! thereon. lees away with all bear- The operationof the device is as follows:

The cord 3 is preferably normally wound. upon thepulley 1 1 as shown.When it is desired to use the cord 8 for making connections, the plug 16is pulled in the direction of arrow b, which turns the'pulley' 1 1 andthe hubs 5 5 in the direction of arrow a and winds up the coil springs 77 thereby putting them under tension. When it is desired to discontinuethe use of the plug and cord, the same is released whereupon the tensionof the springs 7 7 rotates the pulley 1 1 and hubs 5 5 1n the directionof arrow 0 and thereby winds up the cord 3 on the pulley or reel 1 1until the plug 16 is properly seated in the plug shelf ll'whereupon themotion of the pulley is stopped. .When .the pulley 1 1 and the cord 3thereon is being installed, the springs 7 7 are preferably put under aslight tension tending to rotate the pulley in the direction 01 arrow 0,so as to insure winding the cord 3 clear up thereon, quickly, when thecord and plug are released. The cord 3 may be unwound from and woundupon the pulley or reel 1 1 as many times and as quic ly as desired,thecircuitsof the strands of the cord always being properly extended tothe, terminals 17 17, respectively, preferably by the arrangement shown.

If it is desired to install a new cord in a pulley, this may beaccomplished without removing the pulley 1 1 from thecasing 8 8, bysimply unwinding, unsoldering, and removing the old cord from thepulley, and

then winding a new cord upon the pulleyuug and soldering the strandsthereof to the side portions 1 1 of the pulley, preferably as shown.This soldering may be accomplished through suitable holes in theportions 8 8 of the casing which may be provided for the purpose.

I do not wish to limit this invention to the particular details ofconstruction herein shown, as various modifications thereof may be madeor utilized without departi from the scope of the appended claims. 'I Eoportions 1 1 and 8 8 are preferably formed out of sheet metal, but theymay be made in some other manner if desired, and also of some other.material, as long as the circuits of the strands of the cord areproperly maintained.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In apparatus of the characterdescribed, a pulley for carrying a cord or cence strands, the saidpulley com rising two metallic side portions insulate from each other,suitable spindles associated with the said side portions andelectrically connected therewith, a casing for the pulley made of twometallic halves insulated irom eachl other, and a coil spring foreach-side of the pulley, placed between the latter and, the* casing, oneend of each spring being connect ed with the corresponding spindle andthe other end of each spring being connected with the corresponding sideportion of the casing, whereby the ulley is rotated when: the sprin sare Wound 'up and then released, the said slde portions of the pulley,the spindies, and the said halves of the casing forming parts of themetallic circuit of the cord: or strands.

2. In apparatus of the character de-- sc1'ibcd, apulley madeof twoformed sheet-- metal side portions with insulation therebetween, a hubon each side-portion, a casing made of two formed sheet-metal halvesin-- sulated from each other, and a coil spring for each hub actingthereon to rotate the pulley under favorable conditions, andelectrically connecting the halves of the casing with the respectivehubs.

3'. In apparatus of the character described, a pulley made of two metalhalves insulated from each other, a cord having a pair of conductorstherein, the said cordbeing wound upon the pulley and the saidconductorsbeing connected to the said metal halves, respectively, means forsuitably, can rying the circuit of'each conductor oil to' suitableconnection terminals, and a coil springacting on the pulley whereby thecord is rewound u on the pulley after being unwound there rom and thenreleased; l

a. In apparatus of the character described, a pulley made of two metalhalves insulated from each other, a cord having a air of conductorstherein, the said and em "wound upon the pplley'and the said con uctor'sbeing connected to-the said metal halves, respectively, a suitablecasing't'or the pulley, means for suitably'cari ying the circult of eachconductor eff to suitable connection terminals, and a coil 5 ring oneach side i of the pulley actinr o'n t e latter whereby thecord'is-rewound upon'the pulleyv after being unwound therefrom and thenreleased 5. A. switchboard cord reel comprising a pulley .mad of two-formed sheet-metal halves suitably secured together and 'insul atedfrom each other whereby the said halves maybe included in the'circuitsof the respective strands of a cord carried by the pulley, suitablemcaus for mounting the pulley in place; and spring mechanism acting onthe pulley to automatically wind the cord thereon when the latter is notin use, the said spring mechanism constituting parts of the saidcircuits.

6. The combination with a switchboard board cord; sai

plug shelf, of a pulley located beneath the casin beingadaptedtobeincluded in the halves of the pulley and circuits of theu'espectivestrands 0d the cord, and spring mechanism acting on the pulley toautomatically wind the cord there on when the latter isnot in use.

'7. The combination with a switchboard plug shelf, of a pulley locatedbeneath the shelf and adapted to carry a switchboard cord, a casing forthe pulley suitably mounted to properly position-the pulley,said cas ingbein made in halves which are suitably insu'lat from each other wherebythe circuits or the respective strands of the cord may be carriedthrough the said halves, a

pulley made of two metal halves suitably secured together and insulatedfrom each other whereby the said halves may be in- -eluded in thecircuits of the respective strands of a cord carried by the pulley, and

spring mechanism acting on the pulley to automatically wind the cordthereon when the latter is not in use, the said spring mechanismconstituting parts of the said circuits.

9. A pulley of the character described harm COZltlUClZlVG POZUGDSsuitably insu- ?lated rom each other whereby they may be included in thecircuits of respective strands carried by the pulley, spring mechanismin the said ciicuits and acting on the pulley to automatically Wind thesaid strands thereon as desired, and means for suitably extending thesaid circuits to suitable-connection ten mmals.

10. A switchboard cord. reel comprising a pulley made of two metalhalves suitably secured togetherand insulated from each other wherebythe said halves may be included in the circuits or the respectivestrands of a cord carried by the pulley, and coil springs acting onthe-pulley to auto 'n'iatically wind the cord thereonywhenthe latter isnot in use, the said springs being included in the respective'circuitsof'the said strands. I I

11. ll. pulley of the character described. having conductive portion"suitably insulated from each other-whereby they may be included in thecircuits of respective strands carried by the pulley, and spring membersinc are

spring members bein included in the re ispective circuits of the saidstrands.

12, A switchboard cord reel comprising a pulley made of two metal halvessuitabl secured together and insulated from each other whereby the saidhalves may be included in the circuits of the. res ive strands of a cordcarried by the p e a casing for the ulley made of metal ha ves which aresuita ly insulated from each other, and coil sprin acting between theall and casing an conductively-connec wit the respective halves thereofwhereby the circuits of the said strands are extended through therespective halves of the ulley, the respective coil springs and therespective halves of the casing, the said a rings causing the pulley toautomatic y wind the cord thereon when the latter is not in use.

13. A pulley of the character described havin conductive portionssuitably insu lated rom each other whereby they! h included in thecircuits of respective carried by the ulley, a casing for the'pullcyhaving con uctive portions suitably insulated from each other, andspring membcrs acting on the pulley to automatically wind the saidstrands thereon as desired, the said spring; members being conductivelyconnected with the conductive portions of the pulley and casing wherebythe circuits of the said strands are extended through the respectiveconductive portions of the ulley,

the respective spring members and t e respective conductive portions ofthe casing.

14. The combination with a pullcy carrying conducting strands, of springmembers acting on thc pullcy to wind the said strands thcrcon, the saidspring mcmbcrs being ini conducti strands of a casing for 25 suiated ,fr

sulatcd from cach othcr and included in the respective circuits of thesaid strands.

15. The combination with a pulley car-f ryiug a plurality of conductingstrands, of spring mechanism acting on the pulley to rotatc sanunthcsaid sprin mcchanism havill" portions thereof insu atcd from each ot icrand included in tho respective circuits of the said strands when by thesaid circuits are oxtcnded olf from the pulley.

16. A pulley of the character described having conductive portionsinsulated from each other whereby they may be included in the circuitsof respective strands carried by the pulley, and spring mechanism actingon -the pulley to rotate same and constitutin parts of the respectivecircuits of the sai strands.

17. The combination with a pulley carryt e ey, com rising conductiveportions in- Inch other whereby they may be included in the respectivecircuits of the said strands, and means for conductivcly connecting thesaid strands with the respective conductive portions of the casing.

18."The combination with a pulley carrying conducting strands, of springmembers acting on the pulley to wind t c said strands thereon asdesired, the said spring members being included in the respectivecircuits of the said strands, and a casing for the pulley, comprisingconductive portions insulated from each other whereby they may beincluded in the respective circuits of the said strands.

'19. The combination with a pulley carrying a plurality of conductingstrands, of spring mechanism acting on the pulley to rotate same andconstitut parts of the respective circuits of thesai strands, and acasing for the pulle comprisin conductive portions insulated rom each oter whereby they may be included in the respective circuits of the andstrands.

20. A pulley of the character described avin conductive portionssuitably insulated om each other whereby they may be included in thecircuits of respective strands carried by the pulley, sprin membersacting on the ulley to automatically wind the said strand;- thereon asdesired, the said 'springmembers being included in the respectlvecircuits of the said strands, and a casing for the pullc comprisinconductive portions-insulated roni each 0t 10: whereby they may beincluded in the respective circuits 0f the said strands. I

21. A pulley of the character described having conductive portionsinsulated from each other whereby they maybe included in the res .ctivecircuits of strands carried by the pul ey, and spring mechanism actingon the pulley to rotate same and constituting a part 0 the circuit of atlcast one of the said strands.

22. The combination with a pulley carrying comlnctivc strands thocircuits of which are insulated from each other at the pulley, of acasing for tho ulley having at least a portion thereof inclildrd in thecircuit of one of the said strands, and spring mechanism actin" on thepulley to rotate same and servin to ronductively connect the saidportion 0 the-casing with its said strand.

23. The combination with a pulley carrying conductive strands thecircuits of which are insulated from each other at the pulley, of acasing for the pulley having portions thereof insulated from each otherand included in the respective circuits of lthe said strands, wherebythesuid circuits are extended oil from the pulley.

24. A ulleyhavin conductive )ortionsinsulated rom each ot er whereby thcy m 1 included in the respective circuits of strands, carried by thepulley, a casing for tho. pniicy comprising conductive portionsinsulated subgcribe my name in the presence of two from each otherwhgreby they may be insubscribing witnesses this 24th day of May chidedin the respective ciruits of the said 1907.- v strands to extend thesaid circuits 01f from FREDERICK R. PARKER. 5 the pulley and springmechanism acting on Witnesses:

the pulley to rotate same. WAUIER A. GREIG, As inventor of theforegoingl hereunto CEPHAS B. ADAMS.

